Easy Balsamic Chicken Recipe

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Nothing is as good as a savory and sweet sauce paired with chicken.

This Easy Balsamic Chicken Recipe packs so much flavor from the honey balsamic sauce. Aside from the sauce I love the fresh vegetables that are in this chicken skillet meal. I added fresh green beans, fresh tomatoes and matchstick carrots but you can use whatever you have on hand. 

When it comes to the chicken I like to use bone-in chicken thighs because I feel like it holds flavor and becomes more juicy with the balsamic sauce. 

You can use any chicken you have like boneless chicken breasts, drumsticks or chicken tenderloins. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time depending on the type of chicken you use. 

Easy chicken recipes make an appearance on our menu at least one a week and we like to rotate between this Easy Balsamic Chicken Recipe, Lemon Chicken Orzo, Mediterranean Skillet Chicken, Easy Cranberry Baked Chicken Thighs and this Greek Lemon Chicken.  You can’t beat easy dinners that have a ton of flavor. 

Why You Will Love this Balsamic Chicken

• Easy to Prepare: This easy chicken dish can be prepped in just 15 minutes and baked for 40 minutes in the oven.  This makes the perfect juicy chicken for busy weeknights. You will love the balsamic chicken marinade that adds so much flavor to the dish.
• One Pot Dish: With my one pot balsamic chicken recipe the simple ingredients are cooked in one pot, which keeps all the flavor in the dish and means easy clean-up. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
• Versatile: I’ve used chicken thighs, but feel free to mix things up and use another cut of chicken. You can use chicken breasts, tenderloins or drumsticks. 

Recipe Ingredients You’ll Need

• Chicken: For the best flavor I recommend using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, or replace the thighs for drumsticks or whole chicken legs. If you want you can also do boneless skinless chicken thighs which still creates a juicy piece of chicken. 
• Onion: Use a small sweet yellow onion, or a red onion.
• Garlic: For the best flavor use fresh minced garlic, although garlic puree or dried garlic will work in a pinch.
• Vegetables: I like to added fresh green beans, cherry tomatoes and carrots to this chicken dish.

For the Balsamic Marinade:

• Balsamic Vinegar: I like to use a traditionally made balsamic vinegar, it has a thicker consistency and a great balance of sweet and sour flavors.
• Mustard: I use stone ground mustard, you could also use whole grain or Dijon mustard. Don’t use yellow mustard as it will overpower the other flavors in the sauce.
• Honey: I find runny honey is best for whisking into a smooth sauce.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic will add the best flavor to the sauce.
• Seasoning: I season the sauce with Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper.

Please see the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and instructions. 

Ways to Modify this Balsamic Chicken Skillet

• Chicken: I’ve used bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, but whole chicken legs or chicken drumsticks can also be used in this dish. You could also use chicken breast, but adjust the cooking times so it doesn’t dry out.
• Vinegar: You can replace the balsamic vinegar with sherry or red wine vinegar, but it won’t have quite the same sweet/sour flavor that you get from a good balsamic vinegar.
• Maple Syrup: Swap the honey for maple syrup which will add great sweet flavor in the sauce.
• Mustard: I’ve used stone ground mustard, but Dijon mustard would be a great swap. You could also use wholegrain mustard, but it will give the sauce a grainier texture.
• Vegetables: Add any extra vegetables that you and your family enjoy eating. I like zucchini, red onions, broccoli, mushrooms, brussels sprouts, bell peppers, or stirring through a handful of spinach.
• Fresh Herbs: I add fresh parsley as a garnish, but you can stir through some chopped fresh rosemary or fresh basil towards the end of the cook to add extra flavor into the sauce.
• Cheese: Cheese would be a nice addition to this dish. You could add mozzarella cheese and melt the cheese, try Parmesan cheese, feta cheese or goat cheese. 

How to Make Balsamic Chicken Thighs

Step 1: Season the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.

Step 2: Prepare the Sauce: In a small mixing bowl whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Step 3: Sauté the Onion: In a large skillet heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.

Step 4: Cook Chicken: Place the chicken in one single layer in the skillet with the skin side down first.

Cook the chicken for about 3-4 minutes on that side.

Flip the chicken and add the green beans to the pan. Continue to cook the chicken for 5 more minutes.

Step 5: Add Sauce: Add the sauce mixture to the skillet covering the chicken with the sauce and turn the chicken over until they are coated.

Step 6: Add Vegetables: Add the matchstick carrots, tomatoes to the green beans and chicken.

Step 7: Bake Chicken: Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Remove and add a drizzle of balsamic glaze and serve over rice or with pasta along with fresh parsley.

Storage Tips

Storage: Store the balsamic chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen, thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight, then place in a skillet and warm up till piping hot.

Leftovers: Store leftover balsamic chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to enjoy place into a skillet and warm through on the stove top until piping hot.